PhD in Control

Power electronic converters are a fundamental enabling technology in modern energy and electrical systems, with applications ranging from renewable energy integration and electric transportation to data centres, industrial automation, and smart grids./nAs power electronic systems continue to scale in size, complexity, and intelligence, there is an increasing demand not only for efficient and reliable power conversion, but also for effective information exchange within and between converters, subsystems, and controllers./nTraditionally, power conversion and communication have been treated as two largely independent functions, implemented through separate hardware and communication infrastructures. However, this separation can introduce additional cost, complexity, latency, and reliability challenges, particularly in distributed and resource-constrained power electronic systems. In response, there is growing research interest in the integration of communication functionalities directly into power electronic converters, enabling converters to support both energy transfer and information exchange in a coordinated manner./nAt the same time, advances in AI and data-driven methods offer new opportunities to enhance the control and communication capabilities of power electronic systems. AI-assisted approaches have the potential to complement conventional model-based techniques by enabling adaptive, data-informed, and context-aware decision making, particularly in environments characterised by uncertainty, non-linearity, and changing operating conditions./nThis project provides an exciting opportunity for successful candidate to explore in the interdisciplinary area of power electronics, communication, control, and AI. Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology (CREST) at Loughborough University will also provide multidisciplinary support with advanced platforms and equipment of renewable generations and energy storage./nApplications are encouraged from individuals with experiences across a wide range of potentially advantageous disciplines, including (but not exclusive to) electrical engineering, communication, and control./nWe particularly encourage applications from individuals eligible for national scholarship funding such as CSC (Chinese Scholarship Council) funding or Commonwealth Scholarships.